Figure 8: Centralised Binding Table Creating an Efficient and Scalable Secure Zone By using the trusted-port and device-role switch options in suitable networks and leaving them out in others, you can achieve an efficient and scalable secure zone. Secure Zones 1, 2 and 3, display three different set-ups and the secure zone that is established in each case. Configuring Switch Integrated Security Features Creating an Efficient and Scalable Secure Zone Secure Zone: Secure Zone 1 - Inefficient and Unscalable Secure Zone Secure Zone 2 - Efficient and Scalable Secure Zone When Binding Tables are Decentralized Secure Zone 3: Efficient Secure Zone When Binding Table is Centralized Scalability:
Unscalable; each switch has entries of all the hosts in the network Scalable; each switch as entries of only directly connected hosts Unscalable; the distribution switch has entries of all hosts in the network Polling and its effect on the network: n = number of hosts m = number of switches total number of polling requests: = n X m 18 polling requests are being sent (6 hosts x 3 switches). Each host is polled by all the switches in the network (in the absence of the trusted-port and device-role switch options). Network load is very high. 6 polling requests are being sent (2 hosts x 1 switch for each switch). Minimal network load.
(Polling requests are sent by the local access switches to directly connected hosts, each polling request passes through fewer points in the network.) 6 polling requests are being sent (6 hosts x 1 switch) Network load is higher than secure zone 2, but not as high as secure zone 1. (Polling requests come from the distribution switch and go through the access switch before reaching the host.) Configuring Switch Integrated Security Features 14